Alternate World
by dreamachiever
Summary: Based on the fantasy, shounen-ai story by Yun Kōga, this fan fiction takes place around volume 8. It contains only mild boy love. Please enjoy.


dreamachiever Loveless Fanfiction Alternate World

Loveless

Alternate World – Destination W006S055C40T2100

Somewhere deep within a much greater wind was stirring beyond anything that was considered "humanly" normal.

A wind that designated change, possibly, its velocity and nature was contemptuous like mouthless faces it had something to say but could not utter a word; its only way to communicate was through its devastating chill, it was not here to play, it was cold and heartless, powerful to strike the living breath.

Ritsuka could do nothing but watch his world crumble around him, the window fogged up from the cold particles outside which were mixing with the warmth within his room, he gently warmed the glass with his breath and used his gloved hand in a circular motion to make it visible again.

His mother had hidden herself somewhere within the house, a mouse could have easily pattered through the house and no one would have paid attention, considering her collateral damage, the silence was piercing and painful.

Ritsuka, in a world of his own was continuing to stare in a daze out the window watching the mountains of snow forming onto the peaks of trees and when the snow pile became too heavy he watched the snow down stepping from one branch to the next before making its final landing onto the already snow heaped ground below.

Coming from his daze his phone which was sitting on his bed was indicating red, _Soubi?_ It had been over a week since Ritsuka last received communication from him, his class had been busy organising a gallery which was due to display their artwork for their final semester. He had been so deeply engulfed that he even ignored battles from Zero which he so loved to bathe in the glory of his victory and watch his opponent bathe in their blood.

Ritsuka had not known that side to Soubi when he became serious, how could he know Soubi considering that they had only been together for less than a year, Soubi was left overs lumped onto Ritsuka with thanks to Seimei's will. What am I to you Seimei? A dog's dish, scraps, you call giving me Soubi a rite of passage although those words were not from your mouth, I could visualise you with those large ears pointing highest to heaven and that tail obnoxiously pointed in a ninety degree angle heading the same direction as his pride thinking this was a gift from God, what a joke.

Soubi like a lost puppy could not think or act for himself and needed to be spoon fed just make it through everyday life, how Kio tolerates Soubi is beyond expectation.

Ritsuka's upper arm was not the only thing leaning against the window pane, his now clear circle that he formed on the glass was fogged up again, his cheek was now pressing against the glass making him appear to be like marshmallows stuck together in a packet needing to peeled away, his eyes were the only anatomy moving which were fixated on that phone which had continued to blink for the last few minutes, Ritsuka sighed and clicked his tongue and peeled away from the glass and picked up the phone staring at it in a stupor.

Upon flipping the phone he didn't get a chance to catch his breath and Soubi was already blurting out words one after another like a bombing war zone in a blaze and fury, Ritsuka having to ask Soubi to repeat what he said slowly.

In those few seconds Ritsuka crushed the phone in his hand at the same time he could feel the phone slipping from his grasp as it clunked heavily onto the floor below, an inaudible voice could be heard, Ritsuka's feet were moving unconsciously without thought.

His mother whom had made her presence known was standing in the lounge room in front of the main doorway, Ritsuka whom raised his hand to face his mother whom seemed to be going through one of her fits was beginning to yell at him and asking her son if he loved her, Ritsuka could not look at her right now for the only person whom mattered to him was those words that had coursed through his veins since the day of his supposed death, Seimei, they were like Fūrin gently ringing in ears, the name Seimei sent electrifying jolts through his body it was like as if brother's very being was before him, like two strangers passing each other on the street as their shoulders brush by another for that mere second both of them existed at the same time, the same place this same philosophy applied when that word was uttered to his ear.

Ritsuka's trembling hand had firmly held the doorknob of the front door, his mother shouting utter words which were blur and fragments to him, just the usual white noise which he was used to, somewhere between Ritsuka approaching the main corridor and placing his hands on the doorknob, the kitchen table had once again been found on its side with kitchen chairs strewn across the floor, his mother's feature looked crazed and animalistic, the last words that she shouted _if you love me you will stay_ in that moment Ritsuka grabbed his mother and held her close to his chest somehow bringing her consciousness back to life her features returning to normal, Ristuka smiled and politely bowed to his mother and continued his journey forward beyond the doorknob.

After walking what felt forever the snow hindering his journey was greeted by bright white headlights, it could have been a message from heaven as the snow clung heavily to his dead weight legs which were now at the point of numbness even with the warm boots he was wearing, winter was the only season that was not his best friend.

Climbing into Soubi's car they sat in silence till they arrived to Soubi's apartment, Kio whom seemed to not be present as Ritsuka walked into the living he was instead greeted by piles of canvases and previously completed artwork.

"For the gallery?"

Soubi could only muster a nod, he immediately outreached his hand for a cigarette in the other he held a lollipop and a paint brush as both of them sat on the floor in front of his uncompleted art.

Ritsuka scoffed and took the cigarette away and thrusted the lollipop which was positioned in his right hand to his left, both hands were now evenly balanced, Soubi was quite annoyed to the point scowling, Ritsuka grabbed the lighter from his pocket and flicked the wheel on the lighter down and a flame came to life, Ritsuka teased the cigarette into Soubi's slightly parted lips and lit the cigarette for him, at once Ritsuka watched the immediate effect of the drug subduing and eliciting his hidden personality, one that was calm and collected, Ritsuka seemed to be alternating the lollipop and the cigarette from his hand to his mouth as he finished the last strokes of his art.

Soubi did not seem willing to talk at the moment and like a child getting bored, butted out his cigarette and dropped the brush and the lollipop onto the floor and curled his head onto Ritsuka's lap, Ritsuka stroked his hair, Soubi could faintly be heard purring from every touch he received. Ritsuka thought it was time he could break the ice after nearly an hour of silence.

"There's a parcel, something about Seimei waiting for us, we should go"  
>"No, it's a trap"<p>

Ristuka was surprised by Soubi's words but quite aware of the game that Zero liked to play.

"Is there a place a time?" Soubi continued.

"Yes"  
>"How many times do I need to drum into your head Seimei's existence is none, kapish"<p>

"I know Seimei's alive!"

Ritsuka retorted and pouted more than annoyed and pushed Soubi's head off from his lap, a loud thump could be heard only leaving Soubi to rub his head.

"Tell me when and where we meet"  
>"I need you to order me"<p>

Ritsuka sighs.

"You know I don't like ordering you"  
>"I need meaning in life, order me"<p>

Ritsuka continuing to ignore his plea, if Soubi still had his ears and tail he would make a pretty good dog about now wagging his tail waiting for the leash which would indicate something good, to go off somewhere, a walk ot to play, Soubi appeared to be begging and he was growing impatient waiting for a simple order.

Ritsuka said it quite calmly "I order you to tell me the place and the time of this meeting"

Soubi whom felt that this order was only half-hearted couldn't be bothered rebelling and just subdued even though his face seemed poker it was screaming out tell me more, tell me more.

"The usual, the electric cables near the tower at eight o'clock tonight"

Ritsuka lifted his arm sleeve a little higher to reveal the time which was reading seven thirty-five.

"We'd better make a move now"

Soubi complacently moved to the front door and waited patiently in the car and drove to their destination here waited for them another Zero unit ready for combat.

Soubi, Ritsuka and the Zero team were standing face to face in the pitch of night finally after a staring showdown the silence was pierced by one of the pairing partners from the Zero unit, the fighter spoke.

"I declare a spell"

Soubi eyeing both of them down spoke in a monotonous voice "I accept"

"We are faithful"

"We are loveless, systems engaged"

"Hearts intertwined two can never truly become one break this invisible thread that joins them and tear them apart with a thousand swords"

The fighter was quick off the mark to begin battle leaving Soubi helpless to save Ritsuka his only option was running in front of Ritsuka to take damage, Soubi immediately fought back.

"Swords alone can not impale love for they are images like that of a double edged knife which reflects the heart's true blunder like a Freudian slip"

There are a shower of swords and knives which come raining down, Faithful dodges them all and blasts the swords and knives away with a mirror, the mirror shattering into a thousand pieces absorbs the knifes and swords.

Ritsuka dodged out of the way just narrowly missing the shards which were turned against them.

"We learn our spells and attacks from our fellow units, this is what makes us faithful, Nagisa is proud to have is as apart of her comrades unlike some of our other units their downfall is our success"

"Don't become too cocky your downfall is their weakness being absorbed by their teachings, we will burrow deep to find that flaw and rip it to shreds when we do"

"Dark clouds, shut out the light of the stars"

"Lightning, pierce the dark clouds"

The sacrifice on the opposing team is immediately hit with a bolt of lightning and is rendered unable to move.

"And you are even dirty enough to use the same sequence as Sleepless and the use of envelope messages" Soubi scoffed.

"I could say the same repeating the same spell that you used in battle with Breathless that's shameless"

"There are kinks in your shield and we have found them"  
>"Don't listen to them Rin"<p>

Soubi outstretched a hand still protecting Ritsuka with the other "Constrain"

Rin was immediately restricted.

"Chains and keys may prevent us from effortless movement with keys and spells those thing which confine us become our freedom and outburst"

Rin's chains snap in two and immediately unbound her.

"Refused"

Rin's chains immediately returned to their bounded position strangling her even further, blood begins to pour from her ears, nose and mouth.

"Do you forfeit?"

Rin was out of breath and becoming pale.

"So much of a good fighter you are letting your sacrifice became scrap even after you are no longer receiving hit points, I think that is your greatest weakness Faithful, you can not feel"

"Kota help me"

Rin pleaded with blood now dripping onto the ground below, it was such a pitiful scene on his knees begging for life.

Kota watched Soubi place his hands onto Ritsuka's shoulder and turned him around not wanting to watch Rin beckoning for his life.

Soubi turned around and listened to Kota's dispute.

"What difference does it make if we are male or female we all feel the same"

"If you feel that way forfeit the battle"

Rin was on a fine line of life and death struggling for breath and Kota could no longer watch as his hands became clenched fists trembling.

"We forfeit"

Rin gasped for breath and was laying lifeless on the ground as the shackles fell around him, Kota tried one last dirty trick and used an incantation which Soubi stepped in and used his hand at once to prevent Ritsuka from receiving the spell.

"Never use a spell on an opponent whom has their back turned"

Kota immediately fell to the ground and Soubi was in hot pursuit, when he faced Kota all that could be seen was Soubi lightly stepping on his fingers and then a chilling sound could be heard of his fingers being crushed. Rin was withering in pain looking like a fish out of water and could not respond to her partner.

Soubi pried the letter from his bleeding hand and gave it to Ritsuka.

Ritsuka opened the envelope and removed what was inside and once again it was yet another code W006S055C40T2100 on the back of the piece paper it wrote Goura, unsure of what it meant.

After the battle the night flowed by effortlessly like as if the battle never existed. Soubi parted ways with Ritsuka as he returned home to his dysfunctional mother whom embraced him at once as he opened the door, whilst he was absent she had cooked him dinner and put him to the test with a variety of foods even though it was truly past ten o'clock at night and Ritsuka's appetite was non-existent, to disobey his mother was like receiving a death penalty, every meal had a different assortment of food if the Ritsuka now ate something that the old Ritsuka didn't she would have scowled and lectured him, what was served the night before would be cooked and served different again, Ritsuka could very well always repeat the same error twice without ever knowing as meals between them were solemn and how each food was cooked was different to the next.

The night ended uneventfully his mother whom was lecturing him again sent him to his room and went without eating although this did not faze him too much.

Another day presented itself and since he had been absent from school consecutively he thought it was about time to show his face, school like last night with his mother was uneventful, it bored him to the core that he barely took notes and just grumbled whenever the teacher asked him a question or when Yuiko tried to get him into a conversation he barely breathed the day without Yuiko breathing down his neck and trying to drag Ritsuka away from any possible private space, however as they approached the main school gate Ritsuka pushed Yuiko's hand away whom was wanting to go somewhere and completely ignored her pleas, with his hands returning to his pockets and the snow had begun to fall once again continued his way over to the city where he was hoping to break free for just a little while, Soubi as per usual this last month was not here to welcome him which made him feel just a little empty.

As Ritsuka was waiting at a major intersection as the lights flashed green Ritsuka walked across the road, however it was seemingly crowded and he was washed away into a sea of people, he was not sure if his imagination was playing tricks on him, although it was two separate people combined they gave an image of Seimei his mind screamed, _Seimei_, he noticed ears and a tail which looked identical to Seimei's and the other person from behind had long hair and its colour and style was the same to his brother, just for a moment Ritsuka tried to stop and call out his name numerous times the face that he so positively insisted was Seimei's turned around for a brief moment and the eye colour was identical to his brother, it had to be Seimei and like the sea that washed him into the crowd, it washed him out once again and the crowd had dissipated he was gone again in a blink of an eye, left standing in the middle of the intersection breathless and confused.

Ritsuka wobbled to the end of the kerb and fell to his knees, a lone tear gravitated to the concrete below, the first person that came to mind was Soubi and wished that he was here within a second he heeled beside him at once, although not branded Soubi was loyal as ever to his master, without hesitation Soubi outreached his hand and took Ritsuka by the arm whom was on all fours trembling and lifted him up to his feet and kept him close to his side, Ritsuka's head remained lowered to the ground, his gaze remaining fixated to his shoes as Soubi sat him in the back of the car, silence prevailed them both along the journey.

Tonight Ritsuka proposed that he was going to Goura to put a full stop on his question "Is Seimei alive?"

Ritsuka had arrived into the world of Wisdom Resurrection; it asked the usual question "are you Loveless?" Ritsuka answered yes and starting from ground level he followed the directions as described on the piece of paper W006S055C40T2100, World 6, South 55 degrees, Level C 40, Time 9pm, although this code was different from normal, Ritsuka waited patiently for a few moments and a figure fell before him and greeted him in a distorted voice and requested that he visit Goura in person tomorrow at the seven moons at midday where snow and heat do not exist.

The following day Soubi and Ritsuka were on another venture hopefully another step forward towards their destination.

Arriving at Goura everything seemed desolate, Ritsuka was mumbling the words which the figure on the screen advised him, _a place where snow and heat do not exist_, Soubi catching fragments of words startled Ritsuka by his voice.

"Goura is known to be a place that is neither here nor there, there are no four seasons, only day and night, as you know we've passed through the seven moons and will be there shortly"  
>"Where is it all?"<p>

There was a shadow and sudden movements, from the bushes rustling could be heard, Soubi's eyes were heated and ready for battle.

Ritsuka was already ahead of Soubi running blindly into battle, Ritsuka attempted to follow the silhouette and came to a dead end instead but doing so another message was found, Ritsuka released an ear piercing scream after seeing a pool of blood, Soubi coming to his side at once, Ritsuka rubbed his eyes realising this was an illusion, his heart felt like as if it would jump from his chest at any moment.

"Close your eyes Ritsuka"

Ristuka for the first time wanted to listen to Soubi and not to disobey his orders however his eyes were wide open he could not close them, even if he turned his back the image in which he last saw like a revolving globe would come right before him again unable to escape reality.

"Soubi, I can't close my eyes"  
>"It's a spell be wary"<p>

Soubi placed his hand in front of Ritsuka's eyes trying to calm him.

A few moments later the rustling from the bushes was heard once again and finally the person came out revealing himself to be Nisei.

"Good work Nisei" an unfamiliar voice could be heard lurking from the shadows, Nisei poker face stood there waiting for his master. Ritsuka was backing away nervous after so many years was going to meet Seimei for the first time. Soubi had his head turned to the side with his knuckles clenching and gritting his teeth, Soubi with his canine tooth made his lower lip bleed.

Ristuka finally saw Seimei and the fear disappeared and he leapt out from Soubi's side to hug Seimei, Seimei was smiling as Ritsuka once remembered his fighter Nisei was standing behind Seimei, he tousled Ritsuka's hair, however their happiness was short lived.

"Why did you leave Seimei? What happened to you?"

Seimei's darker half was appearing before Ritsuka making him jump in alarm.

"Why, why, why. You sound like that five year old that I knew all those years ago, endless questions always bothering me. Wait until you know the real reasons of my departure, Soubi, tell Ritsuka what happened and let's see if the dog will be with its master or will it bite the hand that feeds it"

"I was worried" Ritsuka pleaded.  
>"Nisei come now"<p>

Nisei at once came to Seimei's side.

"Soubi, I thought I outgrew you and I had Nisei loyally by my side"

Soubi was still angrily clenching his fists as the blood continued to flow from his lower lip.

"Soubi what's wrong, Soubi"

Ritsuka asking his partner in a concerned manner.

"Shut up" Soubi raised his voice.

"Don't ever yell at me"

Soubi immediately realised his actions and apologised to Ritsuka.

"A dog does not know its place punish it Ritsuka"  
>"I won't do that to Seimei"<p>

"I have a nice set now, I have a necklace engraved on Soubi which stands loyally next to Ritsuka and Nisei now has a pretty bracelet, how would you feel about being betrayed?"

"I don't understand"  
>"Soubi come now, my orders are resolute"<p>

Soubi felt his feet unconsciously leaving Ritsuka's side, ashamed he did not even look back and left the side of Ritsuka and stood next to Seimei.

"How does it feel? Soubi betrayed me he was one of the many reasons that made me want to turn my back on my former life"

"Don't blame Soubi for everything"  
>"Ehhhh, still willing to defend Soubi even after this current action, you've got some guts Ritsuka"<br>"System engage" Nisei breaks that poker face of his and a darkness befalls them all.

"This is what happened to me Ritsuka, three against one, Soubi believed Ritsu, his trainer over me and even another sacrifice had the gumption to tell me the same"  
>"What was said that was so wicked?"<br>"That the way I train is not human, do I appear not be human"

Seimei scratched his own skin with his fingernails and blood cascaded from his veins.

"Everyone thought I was so inhumane that I disappeared from this Earth, I couldn't kill myself so I faked my death and escaped to the seven moons"

"Is my own life a lie?"  
>"Yes Ritsuka"<p>

"Ritsuka, believe me I did not mean to hurt Seimei in any way"  
>"Soubi, you were being trained"<br>"I still said something I regret, I did not meant to hurt my master" Soubi was ashamed.

Ritsuka not knowing how to respond hesitated and turned his back on everyone and was attempting to leave the playing field, however an invisible barrier bounced him back, Seimei and Nisei whom were wickedly smiling foiled Ritsuka's plan whom they both had a feeling that he would be quick to walk away.

"Still the same old Ritsuka, a coward whom could not fight and only ever walked away, be a man"

Ritsuka was sitting on the floor feeling sorry himself for the first time. Silence blanketed them all and Seimei pierced that silence once agaian.

"Do you want to know something more Ritsuka?"

Ritsuka further ignoring his older brother unfortunately his voice had an irritating way of burrowing under your skin and resounding in your ears.

"I don't want to hear it, you and your dirty methods"  
>"I thought you loved me?"<br>"I do love you"  
>"You don't love me now or you would not be questioning me or walking away, regardless if I murder no one or a hundred people, you will always love me no matter what"<br>"My feelings won't waver with how I love you, emotional scars run deep and I am hurt by what you have done, how could you abandon mother like that"

"You were the one that abandoned mother Ritsuka"

"What do you mean?"  
>"Where is the other Ritsuka!"<br>"I don't know"  
>"Do you want to know why?"<br>"I don't know"

"The reason why I silenced you was that I took pity on you, your hidden personality is a dormant version of me, how does it feel to be betrayed again by my younger brother Soubi?"

Soubi glared at Seimei.

"He is not like you nor ever will be" Soubi retorted.

Seimei glared at Soubi and slapped him across the face.

"Do not speak back at me"

Soubi wiped his face helpless.

"If I just click my fingers now, the trance will be lifted and a mini me will be reformed"

Ritsuka for the first time had his tail between his legs and his ears flopped down, scowling ready to bite the first hand that made contact with him, scared and angry at the same time, he kept his eyes away from Seimei and did not listen to him at any costs.

Ritsuka emotionally felt like curling up into a ball he could hear in the distance Seimei crying out "Ritsuka reveal yourself" Ritsuka in every way was trying to refuse and eventually Ritsuka yells out to silence Seimei and offer him to a battle.

"You don't have a fighter Ritsuka, I thought you were smarter than that, even if you called Soubi over, Beloved is the name engraved on Soubi's neck not Loveless, what are you going to do?"

"I want to go home with you Seimei, mum and dad and return to how everything once was"

"I'm sorry I can't do that"

Seimei was standing in-between Nisei and Soubi each of them loyal next to him, Ritsuka feeling alone again and was not trained and did not know if he could fight alone, words were not enough to dual Seimei he had the best fighter, Soubi, Nisei was someone not to be toyed with either from Soubi informed him.

"If you can win Soubi over to your side Loveless, there is another piece of information that will change you"

"Nisei, call it"

"System engage"

"We are Beloved" Seimei, Nisei and Soubi spoke simultaneously.

The ground began shaking beneath them.

"Soubi if you can hear me please come"

Seimei was commanding Soubi to stay put conflicting him between the two people for some reason Soubi was tearing between them both.

"Soubi you should only listen to me, why are you trying to defy me when Ritsuka hasn't even marked you"

"Soubi come now" Ritsuka pleaded.

"Darkness leave every living creature in withering pain, leave no stone unturned let every corner be suffocated by this black thick blanket"

Everything became dark and for a moment during the spell since Nisei was being controlled Soubi was able to break free and come to Ritsuka's side.

"I see I did not train you well enough Soubi, I'm disappointed in you"

Ritsuka found himself in chains "Brother, I don't want to fight you"  
>"I like a good fight Ritsuka"<p>

"Light pierce through day and make everything living thing alive and anew and powered up to the infinite fold"

The darkness was stripped away and a blinding light blazed Seimei and Nisei rendering them unable to see.

Ritsuka yelled in the loudest voice "Who am I Seimei?"

"Fire blazing bright restore everything to its natural state"

Soubi chanted, everything returned to normal state prior the battle.

"Only you know the answer to that question Ritsuka"

"I am Loveless"

Ritsuka double over in pain and a chain had restricted him from the neck, the arms and the legs.

"Inaudible spells are not allowed" Soubi gnarled.  
>"They are not against the rules" Seimei spoke audaciously.<p>

"Who am I Seimei?"

"Tsk, how dare you ask me"  
>"If I'm not Ritsuka am I Loveless, just who am I truly?"<p>

"Truth may be bound to our astral bodies alone, let the truth glide from our fingertips to the soles of our feet and let it ooze like a chain reaction to everything it touches, let the truth be made clear"

Soubi was too fast and Seimei tried to block the attack, the words had already formed on Seimei's lips.

"You are not Loveless"

These few words echoed in Ristuka's mind.

"How do you mean?"  
>"It's not true" Seimei tried to cover his tracks, the words that unconsciously seeped from his lips.<br>"The incantation was for truth to be known, what he said was true"

Soubi placed a hand on Ritsuka's shoulder whom was sitting on his knees staring down to the ground with chains wrapped around him, Soubi squeezed his shoulder uncertain how he was feeling.

"Soubi"

Ritsuka spoke as if it was a sigh of relief but he was also constricted emotionally also.

"It's okay" Soubi smiled and spoke softly.

"So when the game asked me if I was Loveless, I was lying"

"Looks like there is no helping it now"

"How?"

"I stole your name just after you left the hospital from when you were born, Soubi, is your rightful fighter and Nisei is my rightful fighter"

"Where is your name Seimei?"

Seimei chanted inaudible words and the word Loveless appeared like heat being applied to invisible ink on the back of his upper arm.

Ritsuka's head looked straight to the ground finding the world was suddenly spinning around, his eyes as wide as dinner plates and that one word Loveless pounded in his mind.

"Your name can not be found when it is used by another, that is why you could never see your name, I branded Soubi for you so you wouldn't miss out on a good fighter, you should be grateful to me Ritsuka, I always envied you, our parents paid more attention to you, I took your name and fighter to compensate for my loss"

"I still love you, but I can't forgive you"

"You can say that, but you can't look me in the eyes"

Ritsuka looked at him in the eyes briefly and looked away again, too many emotions were boiling inside of him, he had one last final question.

"What about my name?"

Seimei paused and sighed.

"A picture paints a thousand words, but words are just as strong, to images that replace words, remember your rightful place, words show your true meaning and purpose reveal all that you have been silenced till now"

Ritsuka doubled over in pain and hugged himself into a ball and blacked out.

"Seimei!"

Ritsuka sat bolt upright, he felt a cool wash cloth over his forehead which had now fallen onto the sheets below, Soubi's face was above him, Ritsuka looked upwards seeing Soubi's face made him calm, adjusting to his surrounding felt the familiar presence of Soubi's apartment and Ritsuka was at ease but all the images from the moments passed still felt somewhat alive and chiselled into his mind and flesh, it felt like fingernails were burning at the back of his body, Ritsuka grabbed his head, unsure of what the pain was.

"Ritsuka?"  
>"I'm okay"<p>

"I tried to stop Seimei, his spells and incantations are too quick for me, I'm sorry that your fighter is so slow and I'm sorry that I disobeyed you"  
>"I don't care for this ownership and loyalty nonsense, people have free minds we are not constricted to one body or mind, dogs may not be able to speak but their words are spoken in other ways, I will not order you around like some pet, get used to it Soubi, I am not like Seimei if you choose to stay by me"<p>

Soubi still had his head bent over and resting it on Ritsuka's shoulder, eventually he repositioned himself and was in dogenza, Ritsuka lifted his head up and kissed him on the forehead, the pain on his back was too great and made his face grimace.

"Ritsuka are you ready?"  
>"Ready for what?"<br>"That last spell that Seimei chanted, it wasn't just any physical incantation, it brings truth forward, it shows the etching that makes a fighter and sacrifice into a unit, I think Seimei brought your true name, your birth name to light"

"To light"  
>"Meaning revealed"<br>"I know that, I was just thinking"

"Do you want to know?"

Ritsuka stewed on it for a moment and lightly nodded his head once.

"I need to search your body, will you let me?"

Soubi grabbed Ritsuka's hand and lead him up onto his feet, his head still feeling heavy, he slowly walked into Soubi's room and this was one place in the apartment he had not visited.

A mirror had been embedded into a sliding door which behind it was his wardrobe and before the mirror Soubi and Ritsuka kneeled together, Soubi taking position behind Ritsuka, Soubi lightly kissed him on the side of the neck.

Soubi gently blew with his light breath against Ritsuka's neck and with his fingers searched for any faint tracing of etched words when non were found Ritsuka lifted his shirt over his head, nerves had taken the best of him and the shirt became stuck around his neck and Soubi was quick to step in and help and pulled it over his head.

Soubi lightly caressed Ritsuka's back with his finger tips and began looking at his skin thoroughly making these S shapes across his skin, the trembles that shook violently within were now seeping outwards through the pores of Ritsuka's skin and Soubi became aware of his fear, Soubi was just about to turn him around to check his front as his lips again caressed his skin gently kissing the nape of his neck the heat from his kiss seemed to reveal something and very faintly the words, oved showed, Soubi blew quite hard this time and quickly spun Ritsuka around and in reverse writing Beloved was revealed.

Silently Ritsuka thought to himself, my name's reversed _why?_

For the first time he saw his true name, Beloved, although it was faint it was still present, Soubi hugged him and Ritsuka was in shock then cried for the first time in his life.

"Why is my name reversed Soubi? Soubi"

"It is still the word beloved it is said amongst units that reversed names means that bonding can be broken which is why Seimei was able to break us apart and steal your true name"  
>"How did Seimei see my name before me"<br>"You were just born Ritsuka, sacrifices can see etchings before even us fighters can, that is why we are branded or marked by sacrifices"

Both sat in silence just staring at the mirror which brought them a new way forward and a conclusion.

"I was too young to understand your pain, why Seimei didn't you kill us both and make our suffering disappear"

"This is why we were such a good unit Ritsuka"

"It was unnatural a disgrace to fighters, pairing up with different names at first what we've done is unthinkable, although this should be my happiest moment, our happiest moment, I feel nothing, I feel more dirty than an underground sewerage system, I sink much lower than that"

Soubi was constricting Ritsuka even tighter by wrapping his arms around his waist.

"How did Seimei work with you so well yet I can not hear you when your system is engaging, am I a failure as a sacrifice?"

Soubi's arms wrapped more tightly constricting his blood flow and a warm teardrop awakened Ritsuka's reverie, and this gentle pitter patter like rain from Soubi's tears continued to fall onto Ritsuka's shoulder, Soubi frozen solid and Ritsuka melting his warmth.


End file.
